LOWELL -- Lowell School Superintendent Salah Khelfaoui is declining to say whether the city should build a new high school in a different location or renovate the current structure until a detailed feasibility study is complete in early February.

Khelfaoui discussed the much-publicized project, and several other School Department issues, in the latest episode of Sun Spot, the newspaper's contribution to the Lowell Telecommunication Corp.'s weekly news magazine, LTC News.

The show airs Thursdays at 6 p.m. on LTC Channels 8 and 99.

Khelfaoui did, however, shed a little a light on the matter.

In reference to a renovation, he'd potentially be concerned about a "patch job," and whether it would hold-up over the years. The advantage of a new building, he said, is it can be designed and built to meet the high school's academic needs. If the feasibility study determines it would cost taxpayers millions of dollars less to build a new school, then the city should heed its findings.

He also said he "hates," portables, or temporary classrooms, that would be required to complement a renovation project.

Following last year's racially charged student texting incident at the high school, Khelfaoui said he's making efforts to ensure administrators regularly engage students about diversity issues. The School Department is also engaged in several professional development initiatives to ensure administrators and teachers are properly trained to better understand issues that might be related to diversity.

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Hiring someone for a high-level position who happens to be a minority makes sense only if that candidate is the most qualified. Khelfaoui said it's more important to him that school department personnel understand all elements of the school department's racially-diverse student population.

Khelfaoui also touched on Mayor Edward Kennedy's initiative to get him a three-year contract. Khelfaoui said he doesn't care if he has one or not, and the current memorandum-of-understanding is sufficient. He said more than 200 superintendents across the state have contracts that have been prepared by a state organization that represents the best interests of school officials.

"Just use that one and be done with it," he said.

The 30-minute show is anchored by LTC volunteer Alexander Gentile and features other local content. It is rebroadcast at different times during the upcoming week. Check the LTC website for times and channels.

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